A GOOD BARGAIN.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 215, 7 September 1912, Page 5

A GOOD BARGAIN.

TAUPO TOTABA BAIL WAT. . WORKING PUMICE LAM). : ; A (By Telegraph.-—Press Association.) • WELLINGTON, Friday. >. The hearing of the Taupo Totara Company's petition was continued to-day. Mr W. S. Short, assistant Under-Sec-retary of Public Works, produced ' the Department's files relating to the granting of the original Order-in-Council to the company. These were read at considerable length. Sir John Findlay, who appeared for the company, said he had no objection to offer. He could not allow the company to rest under any imputations that any inducement had been offered by the company. The company asked for no concessions now; it simply put a business proposition before the Government. Mr Wni. C. Kensington, late Undersecretary for Lands, said be desired to speak in his private capacity. During the past two years, he said, there had been an extraordinary change in public opinion as to the value of pumice lands. It had been found that a man could farm profitably on 400 acres to 600 acres on such land. He believed pumice land could be made to pay well. He contrasted the difference in the cost of bringing pumice and bush lands into cultivation, and spoke of extraordinary fertile growth of trees on some of the poorest pumice land. It was essential to the settlement of the country that there should be easy, transit for manures to treat the land. His "own personal opinion was that it would be better for the Government to take over the Taupo Totara line (when completed) at £180,000 rather than •wait till the line from Rotorua could be completed. The latter line could not be constructed at less than £6,000 or £7,000 per mile. The suggested line from Ttotonia would serve very little Crown land, whereas the Tanpo Totara. Company's line would serve most of it, if completed. large or Small areas?

Mr W. C. Buchanan (Wairarapa): Caa you explain why this public land was not cut up and settled when people have been, clamouring for land all over the colony? Mr Kensingto: Yes. In my official capacity I was partly responsible. The reason was that I did not consider there was sufficient access to warrant opening up the land for small settlement. These lands must be manured- as a preliminary to cultivation.

Mr Buchanan sought to obtain an. admission from witness that, inasmuch as the railway is completed to Mokau, the settlers could reasonably get in manures. The witness replied that it would have to be carried in bullock drays from the terminus.

Mr Buchanan: At reasonable cost. Witness: I presume so In reply to Mr HLndmarsh (Wellington, South) >Ir Kensington said he -would most certainly recommend that pumice lands should be settled in small areas. With cultivation pumice land grew excellent turnips. Properly manured and cultivated'the land should carry from one to two sheep to the acre. Mr C. K. Wilson (Taumarunui): Do yon really think it would be better to give this land to wealthy people, so that it could he ''broken in" in large areas? Witness: Well, I used to think so, but t am now of opinion that the best and most profitable way it can be worked is in small areas.

In reply to questions by Sir John Findlay, witness said he did not tTiTglr from his knowledge of the topography of the country that a Rotorua-Taupo line would serre the district efficiently. To be useful a railway would have to follow a more central route. He thought the purchase of the company's line by the Gov- - eminent would be a good bargain for the State. COST OF PCIUCE LAND. Mr F. C. Barnett, farmer, Putaxuru, stated that since the railway was built four creameries and one cheese factory had been erected within 12 miles of Putaruru. The cost of bringing an acre of pumice land into profitable cultivation, if a man did his own work, was £1 5/. Where a man had to employ labour it would cost him about £2 10/6. Areas which had been opened by the Government on a valuation of 15/ per acre could not be obtained to-day under £7 10/ per acre. In reply to questions, witness said that carting manure would cost from £3 to £4 per ton for 15 miles. The average section required to maintain a man and family would vary from 300 to 000 acres, according to the quality of the land. A man might, perhaps, require £600 or £700 to tackle such country. SAt the same time he had known men to !go on such la.nd with a £10 note. Sβ i decidedly agreed with the proposal that lit would be a good thing for the State to take over the company's line. The average return from each cow on dairying farms in the Putaruru country was about £10 per annum. He knew of one farm where the cows had returned £13 per annum each. Replying to Mr Collins, who appeared for the Wellington Trades Council, witness said he was strongly in favour of the Government taking over the land, but failing that, he would not be averse to the company having the right. ApI proximately, 70/ an acre would be a fair I price for the lanfl. Tf the land were cut up in small blocks it should fetch from 10/ to 30/ per acre. To Sir John Findlay: He would not like to sell his farm of 407 acres at £5 per acre. It had cost liim. perhaps, £600 or £700 to bring it into its present state of cultivation. He took it up in its virgin state. All land south of Putaruru was capable of profitable farming, but without a railway it would be useless.

At this stage the committee adjourned till Tuesday next.